'My kids never screamed like that' - old bag says loudly at the supermarket checkout...

about my DS (2). He is a screamer and it drives me nuts. Not when it's just me and him but when my older DSs are anywhere near him - he wants what they've got, wants to do what they're doing. He's trying to dominate, it's the pack mentality!

He screamed around Tescos as he was in the trolley and he wanted to put the food in the trolley. He screamed at the checkout as he wanted OUT! Cue santimonious, smug middle aged woman making the above comment very loudly. I don't want him to scream either but short of putting a sock in it, what can I do? I should have asked her what her secret was but I just glared.

Really unnecessary comment that only made me feel more shit and stressed and angry.

And I do sigh, eyeroll (DH says that he can hear it) and raise eyebrows, and I don't care. I wouldn't take on a mum with a screeching kid though - that's like prodding an angry dog (no good will come of it).

This reminded me of something which happened in a Tesco supermarket when I was attempting to find a trolley for 6 month old twins and toddler years ago. All the children were in the car (obviously within my sight) whilst I was searching for said trolley closeby. Couldn't find suitable trolley so was heading back to car when I noticed this old woman hovering round the car looking at my children (her husband was lurking nearby). I asked her 'is anything wrong' and she launched into a tirade of how disgusting it was to leave children in the car whilst I went shopping!

Of course she wasn't interested in my explanantion about the 'trolley search mission' and I'm afraid I lost it and called her an interfering old bag who should mind her own business or at least offer to help me find a trolley!! She stomped off to do her shopping with her sheepish husband and I bumped into her in supermarket when I was struggling round it with my 3 kids ten mins later. I might have used a few choice words again I'm afraid.

Over the years I've had many comments from similarly minded 'know it alls' and I've learnt to grow a thick skin - or try to anyway. These people seem to relish criticising others and I can only conclude that they are a bit bitter, sad and twisted in some way.